An exploration of tourism related labour conditions: the case of tour guides in Tanzania

Tour guides are recognized key players in the tourism industry. However, existing research on the tour guiding is unevenly distributed and Africa is notably underrepresented. This paper examines issues related to the labour conditions experienced by tour guides, particularly safari guides in Arusha, Tanzania. Thematic analysis was utilized to evaluate the content of the semi-structured interviews conducted with safari guides and a wide range of other tourism stakeholders located in Arusha, Tanzania. The findings indicate inadequate working conditions endured by safari guides. The tourism industry in Tanzania needs to incorporate labour rights standards within its core business practices in order to positively contribute to human capacity building, guest/provider relationships, and future sectorial growth.